Amid mounting criticism and playoff elimination fears, QB Baker Mayfield sends a nine-word message defending head coach Todd Bowles as Buccaneers struggle

Tampa, Florida – December 17, 2025

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are enduring the most difficult stretch of their season. A string of disappointing results, particularly consecutive home losses to the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, has left the team on shaky ground in the NFC South playoff race. At the same time, pressure has intensified around head coach Todd Bowles, whose job security has become a growing topic of speculation.

Following a 29–28 collapse against the Falcons — a game in which Tampa Bay led by 14 points with just over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter — criticism quickly shifted toward the defense and coaching staff. Bowles became the focal point of fan frustration, especially with the Buccaneers losing five of their last six games and surrendering control of their postseason destiny.

In the middle of that tension, Baker Mayfield chose not to deflect responsibility. Instead, the Buccaneers quarterback publicly stepped forward, refusing to place blame on the defense or the coaching staff. For Mayfield, the loss came down to the player holding the football — and he made that clear.

Mayfield distilled his stance into a nine word message, aimed directly at the criticism surrounding his head coach:

“Blame me, not Todd Bowles loss is on me.”

It was not a calculated media soundbite, but rather the instinctive response of a quarterback attempting to stabilize a locker room on the verge of fracture. Rather than allowing pressure to continue mounting on Bowles, Mayfield pulled the responsibility squarely onto himself.

“The easiest thing to do is blame the defense,” Mayfield said. “But the reality is our offense was up 14 points and couldn’t close it out. When you’re up two touchdowns and still lose, that’s on the quarterback. I’m the one holding the ball — I should have finished the game better.”

Despite a 7–7 record, the Buccaneers still control their own fate. According to NFL.com, a Week 16 road win over the Carolina Panthers could boost Tampa Bay’s playoff odds to as high as 95 percent. But reaching that point will require more than schematic adjustments — it will require unity inside the locker room.

Bowles understands that the final three games may determine his future in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Mayfield is navigating a pivotal moment of his own, as his once-secure path toward a long-term extension now feels far less certain.

Mayfield’s nine-word message was not merely a defense of Todd Bowles. It was a statement of leadership, signaling that accountability will not be avoided, even as the Buccaneers struggle under mounting pressure. And in a turbulent season, sometimes a quarterback willing to take the blame is the very thing that keeps a team from falling apart.